CH. 5 Just a Wardrobe Change

Seth had a knight take Ivy back to the Palace and sat with me in the carriage alone. We were taking a different route than the one we took on our way to the capital temple. This was through a path covered with trees on either side, a complete contrast to the bustling streets. After we were in the deepest parts of the forest where there was no other sign of people and buildings, the carriage stopped.

A bunch of people who looked like knights but were less conspicuous and low-key surrounded the carriage on guard.

"Who are you?" Seth asked.

"Not Grace." I replied and he sighed a little exasperated.

"I realised that. If you are not Grace Finley, Then what is your name?" He asked again.

"I…" I hesitated before answering and tried my best keeping my tears at bay. "I don't remember." I forgot my name and I didn't realise when it happened. That unnerved me more than the fact that I was stranded in the middle of woods with a strange man in a strange world. I remember my family members, their names and faces as clear as day but not mine. Every time I try to think about it, I grasp at nothing. Like I was in the middle of an ocean without any land in sight or at least a piece of wood to keep me afloat. I'm scared of sinking and accepting my fate just like that. I can't and I won't, there's people who were waiting for me to come home. I blinked my tears away. It seemed like I have only been crying since I opened my eyes in this world. And I rarely cry. This was getting tiring in a way and I'm sick of it.

"Do you at least know which family you belong to?" Seth asked and I looked at his inquiring eyes.

"I do but we are worlds apart so I can't reach them now." I said.

"Is that why you wanted to go to the Holy Empire?" He asked and I nodded silently.

"Are you really of demon descent?" I asked because I'm really curious. He fell silent and that was more than enough for me to get my answer.

"Do you have horns and a tail?" I asked teasingly to lighten the mood.

"What does a demon look like in your world?" He frowned.

"They come in all shapes and sizes. Some bear an appearance that is so alluring that it bewitches you and render you defenceless before the demon drinks your blood and sucks the life out of you." I said and he raised a brow at me. I burst into small laughter at his expression.

"You can live as Grace Peregrine until you can return. I will make sure you are safe." He said and it was my turn to raise a brow.

"You seem very ready to help me. Why? So you can fend off other ladies? Or to keep someone specific at bay." I said.

"It was the best choice for the both of us. As for the carriage accident, It wasn't me." He said and I looked at this man. He was not someone who would kill his own wife, no matter how much he hated her. His attitude towards his wife was very clear. Tolerant but not hateful. The most he would do was to get a divorce but he didn't which means he needs the Grand Princess position to be filled for now. He was somewhat distant but kind. How transparent. Why? Because I'm pitiful? Without him, I would truly be pitiful and he knew that but instead of threatening or blackmailing me, he was making it a fair deal for both of us.

"I know it wasn't you. I heard that the beloved princess of Verdant fancies you." I said. I heard it from Ivy and I suspect this woman more than anyone.

"What makes you think so? It could be someone from Valoria." He asked.

"From the looks of you and your servants, I could understand to some extent, about what kind of a ruler you are. I'm sure no one in Valoria is daring enough to make a move against me under your nose. With your protection, the most they could do is embarrass me in High Society." I said remembering the reason why Grace never attended any event after her first incident in a Valorian banquet.

"You are quite perceptive." He laughed softly.

"How old are you?" He asked. I'm twenty-five in this body but my actual age was nineteen which was a lot younger than Seth who is also twenty-five. For some reason I know for sure if I told him my age, he would treat me like a child. His patient gaze towards me, something one would use to placate a child was annoying enough as it is.

"I don't want to say." I turned away from him.

"Why? Were you a granny? With that temper of yours, I won't be surprised." He said.

"Yes, I'm three hundred and sixty-three years old. So you better treat me with respect." I glared at him and he laughed a little more.

"So, What do you plan to do now?" He questioned a while later.

"What else? Eat, sleep and attend some parties if I'm feeling like it and curse Sol from time to time until that stupid island is open again." I replied leaning back on the soft cushioned seat behind me.

"Quite a busy schedule." He commented and signalled the men on guard outside. Soon the carriage was back on the road on its way back to the palace.

"I want to change my wardrobe." I said as I got off the carriage.

"Do as you wish." He said and I smiled, feeling better. As I was walking away from him, He called again. "Wife."

I froze in place. What did he just call me? I can feel the goosebumps on my arms and I turned to him, My movements similar to that of a broken robot.

"Do not call me that." I said.

"Wife." He called again and a shiver ran through my body. "I said. Do not call me that!" But he had a teasing smile on his face which had me immediately throwing my heel at him like I did in the temple earlier.

"Is this your primary offence? Not very threatening." He said, easily dodging the heel that flew his way. "I'm planning on carrying on daggers from now on. So I insist that Your Highness be most careful." I spoke between my gritted teeth and ran in the direction of my palace without another look behind me.

"Good Day, Your Highness." The tutor lady greeted me on my way back to my palace. The twins' palace, mine and Seth's share the same but large garden. Seth's official palace was out more in the front where he would greet the guests and take care of his official duties. The knights' training grounds were almost the same distance from all the palaces. Despite how close they sound, they were all pretty far to each other, so I saw this woman for the first time.

"Good Day." I replied without slowing down and ran past the middle-aged but pretty looking woman.

Soon, I called for Ivy and had her empty out all the dresses I didn't like and sent them away to be sold again for whatever price they can get, they would for sure fetch a good price. If Grace Finley were to return to this body, I will make sure she cries rivers of blood when she sees all her favourite things gone.

A few days later, I was sitting in my drawing room flipping through the catalogues of dresses and designs and the owner of the most popular boutique sitting in front of me sipping tea nervously. Her behaviour changed significantly since she first stepped into the room. I understand her attitude towards me given Grace Finley's personality but I'm not Grace Finley! And if anyone expected me to try and make amends for the past actions, slowly bettering my image among the others then they were wrong. I don't care if the old owner of this body was a trash, If I'm changed then I expect the other to change too. I strictly believe in the saying, What goes around, comes around. I respect the people who respect me back. Look at Seth Peregrine for example, He realised it very quickly and he has been a gentleman since then. What a good man… Only if he didn't call me wife. Thinking about it still gave me chills.

"Are these all the designs you have?" I asked and Lady Della looked at me in a daze.

"For a popular boutique, You sure have some sorry designs in your catalogue." I said before she could answer.

"I do have others in the boutique, Your Highness. These were the most popular, that's why I thought they would be to your liking." She said hurriedly. Most popular, my ass. I almost scoffed at her outright lie. Then again, she was only trying to save her ass from this unexpected situation.

"Bold of you to think something would satisfy me just because they are popular." I said closing the catalogue with a sigh.

"So, What are you going to do now? I'm not satisfied with the designs you brought." I said sipping the fragrant tea that one of the maids prepared. Ivy was on leave to check on her little brother.

"I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience I caused and for my insolent assumption, Your Highness. I…I will bring all the other designs I have, Your Highness. Please give me an hour, I will be back soon." She said and when I let her, she practically ran out of the palace like she was being chased by an axe killer.

Her behaviour when she first sat in front of me angered me only a little and it was fueled by the poor designs she showed me later. I know it wasn't her fault because she thought I was Grace Finley and I would encourage her if it was really Grace Finley sitting in front of her. However that was not the case and people need to learn that I'm not the same person I was before and that they better behave properly from now on.

I wish Lady Della would speak far and wide lessening the load of work for me. I hope she would go talk about how Her Highness was a changed woman and she was not to be trifled with anymore. The sight of me and Seth in the cafe a few days ago would also help the rumours a little but they were still not enough to silence some stuck-up ladies of high noble families of Valoria. I will take care of them when I'm feeling like it.

Then again, I do not care and Seth does not care either. I will live as wildly as I want since I know my station is almost as high as the Queen of Verdant, the strongest neighbouring country.

All Seth wanted from me was to keep Viviana Campbell, the princess of Verdant and the possible suspect of the carriage accident, at bay while he gained more power through conquests and would be on equal footing with the King of Verdant so Seth couldn't be ordered by him anymore. And I will do just that, though I'm yet to see if I can handle that woman who was capable of taking someone's life for such silly reasons.